


Linen, Carpet, Flannel, Glass

by oolongteawithpudding



Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationship, Domestic Violence, F/M, Gaslighting, Past Child Abuse, Suicidal Thoughts, Trauma, they need a divorce like yesterday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:15:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28435959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oolongteawithpudding/pseuds/oolongteawithpudding
Summary: "Frank knows he deserves it. He cheats on her, spends her money, so why shouldn't she be allowed to hit him?"
Relationships: Frank Burns/Louise Burns
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	Linen, Carpet, Flannel, Glass

**Author's Note:**

> Please be advised again to avoid this if abuse is triggering for you!

“But, _Louise_ , the money-“

“You’re telling me about money? Ha! How bold.” Said Louise, walking away from Frank, mouth upturned in disgust.

“It was a smart investment, honest!”

“What gives _you_ the right to take from this household? I could divorce you right now and you’d be in the poorhouse where you belong.”

“Louise, honey, _please_ ,” Frank pleaded, clasping his palms together, “honey, baby, dearest, you’re the light of my life, I’d never do you wrong, honest!”

“Well, you lost me $1,000, _Frank_ , $1,000 we’ll never get back!” Louise yelled.

“I-I-I’ll pull double shifts at the office, _triple_ shifts, I won’t buy anything new, I-“

And then he felt a cold slap across his face, strong enough to send him stumbling down to the floor. Frank stared up at Louise, dazed. She’d smacked him before, but never this hard.

“Get out.” She said calmly.

Frank was frozen.

“Get OUT!” she yelled, making Frank flinch.

Frank scrambled back upright, looking back at Louise as he exited the living room. As he made his way down the hallway, he heard Eleanor’s timid voice from the living room, no doubt asking Louise about the yelling. He wanted to go back, reassure her that Mommy and Daddy were just having a little argument, but he knew Louise would have none of it. She was probably telling her how rotten of a father Frank had been, losing all that money. It served him right. He opened the side door, stepping out into the snow in his slippers.

He looked out at their driveway, the tire tracks and footprints already covered with a fresh dusting of snow. It was only coming down lightly, but they said on the radio there was going to be at least eight inches by the end of the week. Shoveling was the least of his worries now, though. The cold wind stung his face, irritating where the slap had landed. He exclaimed a four-letter word, not quite loud enough for the neighbors to hear, and kicked the knee-high hedge leading up to the door. In pulling his foot out, he discovered the slipper had stuck in the bush. It was just his luck that he wasn’t even wearing socks.

As he dug his right slipper out of the brambles, he started to realize how cold it really was. He had gone out in nothing but linen pajamas and slippers- he hadn’t even thought to bring along his hat. He remembered one cold night when he was 11 that his dad locked him outside. He’d at least had on flannel pajamas then, and the shed had kept him out of the wind. He shivered, and approached the side door tentatively, turning the cold knob, and pushing. Nothing. He jiggled the knob again, just to be sure. Still nothing.

Frank’s breathing turned shallow. He started pounding on the door, knuckles red.

“Louise!” he called out into the night, his voice shrill.

He backed away from the door, looking into the window, but it was too dark to see anything beyond the coat rack.

“ _Louise_!” he yelled, frantic.

His eyes darted to the second floor, watching the windows for any kind of movement. There was none. Frank’s breathing grew faster, the cold air grating past his larynx. He moved to the window to the left of the door and banged.

“Louise, honey, _please_ let me in!” he cried out desperately.

He stepped around the corner of the house, into the backyard, feet sinking into the snow. He looked around for a back door, in case they had one that he had forgotten about. None. He approached the next window, and attempted to pry it open. It was no use. He knew how important security was to the both of them. Frank didn’t trust the neighbors across the street, and Louise didn’t want the house robbed. There had to be some way to get in- there had to! Otherwise, Frank would have no choice but to freeze to death, and Louise didn’t want him dead… did she?

She couldn’t want him dead, that was absurd. She knew he contributed the most to their family income. Perhaps she knew of some area where he could keep himself warm, but Frank couldn’t think of anywhere. He couldn’t think at all. Maybe they’d all be better off if he just sat and waited for the cold to take him.

“Louise,” he wailed, “Louise, I’m sorry,” tears ran down his cheeks, “I’m _sorry_ , I’m so sorry.”

He stood stock still, looking at the back of the house. Louise had wanted to paint it yellow, but Frank had insisted on blue. They still argue about it from time to time.

“I won’t do it again, I won’t see her again,” Frank cried, delirious, leaning against the fence. “I’ll cook dinner, I’ll let you wear slacks, I’ll do anything!”

He collapsed to the ground, curling up into the fetal position, shivering. He squeezed his eyes shut, and willed himself to get to sleep. He would either wake up frozen to death, or he would wake up and carry on like nothing happened. Either way was fine to him. Cowards like him deserved to die.

“ _I’m sorry, Louise, I’m sorry, Louise, I’m sorry,_ ” he whispered as he lay there.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

He didn’t know how much time had passed when he heard the crunching of footsteps in the snow. He looked up, vision dancing.

“Louise?”

“Frank!” Louise exclaimed.

“What’s happening?” Frank asked.

“I’m taking you inside, Frank.”

“Where are we going?”

Louise sighed. “I’m taking you to your room and getting you a blanket.”

Frank smiled contentedly. “Thanks, Mommy.”

Louise recoiled but said nothing. She helped Frank up, sliding his arm over her shoulder.

“How long have you been out here?” she said, her voice tinged with a hint of worry.

“Oh, I don’t know…” said Frank, “I couldn’t get in...”

“Don’t be silly, Frank,” said Louise, “The door was unlocked.”

“Oh…”

“Yes, must’ve been.” Louise opened the door, and led them both inside.

**Author's Note:**

> I definitely made this for myself, but I hope you enjoyed, and I welcome feedback. Every comment makes my day!


End file.
